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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23059033">Black is Back</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bsherms32/pseuds/Bsherms32'>Bsherms32</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Eventual Romance, F/M, First Dates, First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, POV Original Female Character, Post-Second War with Voldemort, Second War with Voldemort</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:07:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,372</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23059033</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bsherms32/pseuds/Bsherms32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Rebecca Hughes is in George and Fred's year at Hogwarts and becomes their best friend within the first five minutes of their first year. </p><p>This is the story of her life at Hogwarts with the twins as best friends. She is always mildly disappointed in their antics, but isn't afraid to join in. She joins the Quidditch team at the same time they do and becomes Gryffindor's top Chaser. She keeps secrets that will eventually come out and might haunt her. Eventually she falls for one of the Weasley boys.</p><p>What will happen when her secrets are revealed? How will she fall for one of the Weasley boys? What will happen when Voldemort comes back and she becomes a target?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>George Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 1: Back to Hogwarts</p><p>“Harry Potter? Are you sure it was Harry Potter?” I asked incredulously while walking along the platform beside the train. The twins, Fred and George, had just informed me that they had helped the Harry Potter get onto the Hogwarts Express. Now I’ve been a friend of the Weasley twins for two years now, I know they like to pull pranks, but this would be something else.<br/>“I swear on Fred’s life that it was Harry Potter,” George says putting his hand on Fred’s arm.<br/>“Why does it have to be on my life?” Fred asked looking back at his twin.<br/>“Because she’ll take me more seriously if I’m betting your life over my own,” George responded like it was obvious.<br/>As the twin’s best friend, I had gotten used to these interactions already. We had met first year on the way to the Hogwarts Express. Both of our families had been extremely late to catch the train and I ran right into George trying to scramble to get to Platform 9 3/4. Our carts went in opposite directions and my carrier with my cat, Lyra, had almost toppled over.<br/>As we tried to right ourselves to get onto the platform, we had become instant friends. Friends with George meant being friends with Fred as well. We couldn’t have been more opposite. Even at eleven years old, they towered over my short stature, which I had inherited from my mother. Where they were very pale with bright red hair, I had some darker tones in my skin with dark, curly hair. The boys got into a lot of mischief at Hogwarts and I was the one always bailing them out, which is why their mother loves me.<br/>“I believe you, I believe you,” I finally stated before the twins could keep going on with this squabble. “Now let’s find a compartment before there aren’t any left.”<br/>We kept walking up the corridor holding our possessions looking for an empty compartment. Finally we found one with Lee Jordan inside, George and Fred’s other best friend. We put our trunks on the shelves above and got comfortable. I brought Lyra out of her carrier to relax on the seat with me while the boys exchanged summer holiday stories.<br/>We kept on like this for several hours until we arrived at Hogwarts. Hogwarts had become my home over the last two years. It was just me and my mom at home, and Hogwarts was a welcome change from that. I was learning to be an accomplished witch with the hopes, someday, of becoming an Auror. I had tried out to be on the Quidditch team my second year with Fred and George. I didn’t have high hopes that I would make it, but I was a natural and easily made the team as a Chaser with the twins as Beaters. Hogwarts had become my happy place.<br/>We arrived at Hogwarts and carried our trunks to the carriages that would take us up to the school. I spotted Ron with the other first years gathering around Hagrid, but didn’t know who could be Harry Potter. George, Fred, Lee, and I sat in a carriage on our way up to the castle. I thought back to the first time I arrived at Hogwarts.</p><p>First years apparently arrive at the castle by boat because why not. I scooted closer to Fred who was on my right because I was terrified of the dark water below us. “Becca, it will be fine,” George whispered from behind me.<br/>It was hard to believe that I had only met these two a couple hours ago. We were becoming fast friends and I was very glad I wasn’t alone in this adventure. We arrived at the docks and I hurried off the boat and waited for the twins. We walked up the path to the front entrance of the castle, with a large man named Hagrid as our leader.<br/>“Alright first years,” a new woman said as we walked into the large entrance. She wore long robes that were a dark green and a witch’s hat. I found it odd that she actually wore a witch’s hat. “Welcome to Hogwarts! I am Professor McGonagall. Before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your Houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts.”<br/>My mother had told me about the Houses before I came to Hogwarts. She had been in Ravenclaw while she was here, but my father had been in Gryffindor. I wasn’t sure which I would rather be in.<br/>“The four Houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin,” Professor McGonagall continued on to explain the House Cup points and left us to ourselves while she checked in the Great Hall.<br/>“Which House do you both want to be in?” I asked the twins.<br/>“Everyone in our family have been Gryffindors,” Fred answered.<br/>“Even our parents families were all Gryffindors,” George added. “Which are you looking to get in?”<br/>“I don’t really have a preference, as long as it’s not Slytherin.” The twins nodded in agreement.<br/>Professor McGonagall returned and led us into the Great Hall. The hall was huge with four tables running the length of it. At the front was a large table with adults sitting at it and a stool with a hat on it. All the other Hogwarts students were sitting at the tables and I felt like I had a million eyes on me. All the first years gathered at the front near the stool with the hat.<br/>Professor McGonagall began calling names from a scroll. “Abernathy, Fabian.” A small boy with dark hair walked timidly to the stool. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head once he sat on the stool. It took a second, and then it yelled out, “Hufflepuff!” All the other students cheered, the loudest coming from the group of students with yellow on their robes.<br/>The professor kept calling out names and I got more nervous as she got closer to mine. Finally it was my turn, “Hughes, Rebecca.” I breathed a sigh of relief and walked up to the stool.<br/>The hat was placed on my head and I heard a voice coming from above me, “Hmm, interesting. Even split between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor. But you have traces of Slytherin in you. Hard to choose between them.”<br/>I realized quickly it was the hat that was talking. “You would do well in any of them, but it is a clear choice. You have the courage of your father, better be…Gryffindor!”<br/>I smiled greatly as everyone cheered for me. I walked to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to the last first year that had been named Gryffindor. I smiled and shook hands with the other Gryffindors around me. I felt like I belonged and that my father would be proud.</p><p> </p><p>“Potter, Harry!” Everything was quiet in the Great Hall. If any students hadn’t realized that Harry Potter was a first year at Hogwarts, they knew now. Everyone stared as a young boy with messy dark hair, glasses, and a scar on his forehead walked up to the stool. Professor McGonagall placed the Sorting Hat on his head and it contemplated for several seconds. Everyone waited as the Sorting Hat tried to decide and after what felt like forever, it yelled out, “Gryffindor!”<br/>Everyone at the Gryffindor table cheered as loudly as we could. Harry strode over to our table with a huge smile on his face. He sat down next to a young girl with bushy hair and the twins. The twins instantly shook Harry’s hand and slapped him on the back. Harry Potter was officially at Hogwarts.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Uncle Remus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 2: Uncle Remus<br/>
Two Years Later<br/>
        	“Mom! Have you seen Lyra’s carrier?” I yelled from my room down to my mother. It was nearing the end of summer and I was frantically packing my trunk to return to Hogwarts. We would be leaving in a couple days to meet the Weasleys at the Leaky Cauldron and I was struggling to find most of my things.
        	“Becca, it is like you got home from school at the beginning of the summer holiday and everything exploded,” she called back exasperated. She had been telling me for months that as I was going into my fifth year at Hogwarts I should really know better by now. “I saw it in the shed last weekend,” she finally answered and I hurried out to the shed to grab it.
        	My dark hair, more of a curly mess than usual, flew behind me as I ran through the yard. Our yard was quite big seeing as we lived on several hectares of land and it took several seconds for me to run to the shed. As I searched in the shed for Lyra’s cat carrier, I had a sinking suspicion that someone was looking at me. I quickly looked around the shed as I grabbed the carrier, but saw nothing. It must have been my imagination.
        	As I left the shed and crossed the yard significantly slower, I got the same feeling that I was being watched. I turned slowly and saw standing in the tree line, a large black dog. I stood staring at it for several seconds, not comprehending what I was seeing. We lived several thousands meters from anyone else, so it was impossible this was a neighbor’s dog. My only conclusion was that this was a wolf.
        	I started slowly backwards and when the wolf didn’t advance I turned and ran back into the house. I stood staring at the wolf through the window until it left seconds later. I stayed there until my breathing had calmed down and resumed my packing. I didn’t dare tell my mom, she would panic.
 
        	Several days later we arrived at the Leaky Cauldron two days before the start of the school year. Because my mom and I live so far away, we got into the habit of arriving to the Leaky Cauldron early so we could do my school shopping at Diagon Alley and catch the train to Hogwarts all in one trip.
        	These trips always made my mom nervous. She is not a people person and has lived in seclusion almost her entire adult life. To be immersed again among people, especially walking around Diagon Alley was sometimes too much for her. I had offered many times to do the shopping on my own, but her fear for me on my own outweighed that of her fear of people.
        	So on our first day at the Leaky Cauldron, we spent the day in Diagon Alley getting all of my shopping done. I would be leaving for Hogwarts the next day, so this was my last chance to get anything I needed.
        	“Fifth year and starting your O.W.L. year. That’s a big step and it’s going to be very stressful.” My mom had been making comments like this to me all summer.
        	“Mum, like I’ve been telling you all summer, I am top of my year. I’m not worried about the stress and the workload, I can handle it,” I replied looking at my list of supplies. “We need to stop in Flourish &amp; Blott’s for these books first.”
        	I had kept walking, but my mother had not. She had stopped to stare at a poster in one of the shop’s windows. I circled back to see what she was looking at and stared in astonishment like she was. The man under the “Have you seen this wizard?” title was no one I had ever seen before, but I knew who he was. I put my arm around my mother and guided her away. We didn’t speak as we continued walking to Flourish &amp; Blott’s up the street.
        	As we entered the shop, mom finally perked up at seeing someone she knew. “Molly!” She called and weaved through the stacked books to Mrs. Weasley, who was accompanied by her youngest child, Ginny.
        	“Oh, Luella, it is so good to see you,” Mrs. Weasley responded as she hugged my mother. They began chatting about recent events, seeing as they hadn’t seen each other in months, and I caught up with Ginny.
        	“So Ginny, are you excited to go back to Hogwarts?” I asked timidly. Ginny during her first year at Hogwarts the previous school year had unknowingly opened the Chamber of Secrets. She had been possessed by the spirit of Voldemort and had nearly died. I knew from Fred and George that it had taken her several months during the holiday to return to normal.
        	“Yes, I’m actually very excited. Nothing could be as bad as last year,” she said smiling. It amazed me how a twelve year old girl could be so brave.
        	“Well hello, you,” came from a familiar voice behind me.
        	“George!” I exclaimed and threw my arms around him in a fierce hug. The Weasleys had been in Egypt visiting Charlie for part of the summer and I hadn’t spent as much time with them as I usually do. I had really missed them.
        	“I hope I get the same treatment as him,” Fred muttered from just behind George.
        	“Fred!” I repeated, a little mockingly, as I hugged him as well.
        	“You can still tell them apart better than most of our family. How do you do it?” Ginny asked curiously. I shrugged and returned my attention back to catching up with the Weasley twins.
After we had all bought what we needed, we returned as a group to the Leaky Cauldron and had a large family dinner. All the Weasleys were also staying at the Leaky Cauldron to get to King’s Cross in the morning. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Percy, Fred, George, Ron, and Ginny, plus Harry and Hermione. We were causing quite a scene in the Leaky Cauldron dining room.
           
 
The next day we took Ministry cars to King’s Cross station. Everyone was confused as to why the Ministry would allow our group the use of cars, but Mr. Weasley wouldn’t answer anyone’s questions on the matter. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Percy, and Mr. Weasley rode in one car while Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, Ginny, my mom, and I rode in the other.
We arrived at King’s Cross Station twenty minutes later and gathered all of our trunks on trolleys. We made our way to Platform 9 ¾ at a quicker pace than normal. My mother and I hung back from the Weasleys. I didn’t understand why until she started speaking.
“Now more than ever, munchkin, you have to be careful,” she warned in a low voice, so as the last of the Weasleys waiting to cross onto the platform couldn’t hear her. “You are in more danger than ever.”
“Mum, why can’t we just tell the Weasleys the truth?” I asked turning to face her now that the Weasleys had all gone through the barrier.
“It’s too much of a risk,” she said for what felt like the hundredth time.
“Mum, we’ve known them for five years now. They’ve accepted us into their family at this point. Don’t you think they deserve to know the truth?”
“It’s still too dangerous. Even having the people now that know the truth is too much,” she added turning ever paler. “Dumbledore and Remus are the only ones that need to know. Now let’s hurry. They’ll be wondering what’s taking us so long.”
We finally pushed through the barrier, still at odds with each other. As we walked through I spotted Fred and George watching the barrier, waiting for me. As I walked through they hurried over to me. “What took you so long?” Fred asked as he took my trolley and scurried off to bring my trunk onto the train.
“We were getting worried,” George added. We walked at a faster pace following Fred. The train would be leaving any minute.
“I was just having a discussion with my mother.” My mom cringed when she heard me say this. I very rarely called her mother, usually only when I was upset with her.
George followed Fred onto the train so I could say goodbye. I turned to face my mom again and she gave me a hug. “Remember what I said,” she whispered in my ear before letting go and kissing my cheek. The train whistled, signaling it was leaving.
I waved goodbye to her and the Weasleys, who had joined her, and hurried onto the train, as it started moving. I joined Fred, George, and Lee Jordan in a compartment and we all waved goodbye to our parents. We sat back on the benches when we left the station and settled in for the trip to Hogwarts. I looked at Fred and George starting a game with Lee and wondered how much longer I’d be able to keep my secret from them.
“Alright boys, I have to go to the front compartment. Prefect duties,” I said as their game started up.
“No way! You’re a Prefect?” Lee asked in astonishment. “We’re going to avoid getting in trouble now boys.”
“I doubt that, Lee,” Fred interjected. “I believe we may get into more trouble now with little Ms. Prefect.” I rolled my eyes as I walked up to the front of the train.
An hour later I was back in their compartment watching them playing Exploding Snap as I read one of our new textbooks. It was quite a long journey and felt like it was taking longer than usual.
We were almost to Hogwarts and I again returned to the front of the train for Prefect duties. As I was walking up the corridor, the train began to slow. Thinking I was late, I started running towards the front and had to fight through other students getting out of the compartments to see why we were stopping.
When I finally reached the front, none of the other Prefects knew what was going on. Suddenly the lamps went out and everything was plunged into darkness. The Prefects decided to travel down the dark corridors to assure students that everything was all right.
As we began down the corridor the Prefects stopped to comfort worried students. But I kept going, hoping to find Hermione, Harry, and the Weasleys. As I hurried towards the back of the train where I knew most of them were, I stopped in my tracks. There in the corridor was a large cloaked figure. It was coming down the corridor at me and I felt like the whole atmosphere changed. Everything felt increasingly sad and hopeless. It was like all the happiness had gone away.
I felt like I couldn’t breathe or move. I was rooted on the spot staring at this figure and losing all my senses the longer I stared. Finally, the spell broke as it turned into a compartment. I kneeled down to catch my breath and get my head straight.
Suddenly there was this flash of light and the hooded figure was driven out the train by that light. I finally understood as I watched it being pushed away by the light. A dementor. One of the guardians of Azkaban, on the Hogwarts Express.
I stood and ran to check on the compartment it had just come out of. As I walked in I saw Harry on the ground with Ron and Hermione kneeling over him. Ginny was curled up in the corner sobbing. “Is everyone alright?” I asked, even as Harry lay unconscious on the ground.
“Everybody is fine,” a voice responded. It was achingly familiar as I turned to see the speaker. Standing there looking very shabby was my Uncle Remus. I stared and took him in. His robes were a mess and he looked like he was sickly, but he was there all the same. I turned away before it looked like I had been truly staring. I didn’t want anyone to know that I had already been acquainted with this man.
Just then, Harry came to rapidly. As Uncle Remus explained to them what happened, I kept quiet, watching him. After explaining he handed Harry a piece of chocolate and stated, “Eat. It’ll help. I need to speak to the driver, excuse me…”
He started for the corridor and stopped in front of me. “I will need to speak with you and the other Prefects about the situation. If you’ll follow me,” he said as he gestured to the corridor. I backed away, letting him go first and then followed.
“What are you doing here? Where have you been?” I whispered very violently at him as we started up the corridor.
“I am the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts,” he responded, also in a whisper. He stopped speaking then where I thought he would have given me more of an explanation. We kept walking up the corridor avoiding students mingling about.
“That doesn’t tell me anything. I haven’t seen you in five years!” My voice got louder of its own accord, but I couldn’t help it. I was very angry. A first year looked at us curiously as we walked by his compartment and continued on.
“Becca, it was a very difficult situation and I had to leave,” he responded quietly. We had stopped outside the Prefects compartment. None of the other Prefects were around, probably still checking with students. “That’s the only explanation I can give you.”
“So you leave for years and you have nothing to say for yourself?” I asked harshly. He looked to the floor, unwillingly to look at me. “You were the only person I could count on besides my mom. I had no family, no friends, and only two people in the whole world that loved me. I guess it’s only one person now.”
“Becca, please-” He started finally looking at me.
“I don’t want to hear it. While you’re at Hogwarts, you’re just my professor. You will never be my Uncle Remus again,” I stated harshly fighting tears in my eyes. Before he could say anything else, I stormed off down the corridor.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. First Day of Classes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 3: First Day of Classes</p><p>When I arrived back in the compartment with Fred and George, they kept asking me what was wrong. I couldn’t tell them the truth, so I told them Malfoy had said something mean to me. They believed it, no questions asked, and were planning their revenge on him for the rest of the train ride.<br/>I quietly looked out the window stuck in my own head. When we finally arrived at Hogwarts, I followed Fred and George to the carriages that would take us up to the castle. They both had been extremely quiet not wanting to upset me more. I realized if I didn’t return to myself soon, they would take drastic steps to ensure Malfoy’s destruction because they were thinking he was the cause of my continued silence. I needed to forget about Uncle Remus and get back to normal.<br/>I pushed Remus out of my thoughts and tried to enjoy myself at the feast with the twins. Before we could eat though, Professor Dumbledore had to give his annual speech. “Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by our excellent feast. . . .<br/>“As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business. They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds,” Dumbledore continued in an unhappy tone, “and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises — or even Invisibility Cloaks.<br/>“It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors,” he said.<br/>“On a happier note,” he continued, “I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.” There is scattered applause around the Great Hall and I looked at Remus for the first time. He had a blank look on his face, but what I actually noticed was Professor Snape glaring at him.<br/>I stop listening to Dumbledore. I was wondering why Snape would be glaring at Remus. As Dumbledore continued, Snape didn’t turn his attention away from Remus. I came out of my thoughts as thunderous applause exploded through the Great Hall. “What happened?” I leaned in to ask George, who was sitting next to me.<br/>“Hagrid is the new Care of Magical Creatures professor. Weren’t you listening?” He asked me. I shook my head, but joined the applause. It was fitting that Hagrid would be appointed that position, even if he wasn’t a full wizard.<br/>Dumbledore ended his speech and a wide array of food appeared in front of us. I ate what I could, but I didn’t have too much of an appetite. When the feast was over, as a Prefect I was in charge of leading the new first year Gryffindors to our dorm. <br/>Once the first years were in the dorm with the new password, I quickly ran up to my dorm. I didn’t want to be intercepted by the twins or any of my other friends. It had been a very long day and I just wanted to go to bed.</p><p>The next morning all the Gryffindors filtered down into the Great Hall for breakfast. I followed Fred and George into the hall and plopped myself down next to them. For being exhausted yesterday, I barely slept last night. My dreams kept waking me up, specifically one with a wolf in it.<br/>I poured myself a cup of tea as Harry and his friends sat down next to George. I wasn’t paying much attention until George asked Harry concerned, “What’s up with you, Harry?”<br/>“Malfoy,” Ron responded and we all looked over to the Slytherin table, where Malfoy was mimicking someone fainting.<br/>“That little git,” he said calmly. “He wasn’t so cocky last night when the dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn’t he, Fred?”<br/>	“Nearly wet himself,” answered Fred. They all continued talking about the dementors, but my attention had been snagged by the front page of the Daily Prophet, which Hermione was reading across from me.<br/>	I came back into the conversation in time to hear Fred say, “Anyway, we’ll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match. Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?”<br/>	“Are we playing Slytherin first?” I asked the group and George nodded at me. “We’ll show them then, Harry, don’t you worry.” <br/>	After a couple minutes, Harry, Ron, and Hermione took off to their first class of the day. “What do we have first?” George asked taking out his schedule he had unceremoniously shoved into his bag.<br/>	“History of Magic,” I respond quickly. “It is OWL year, you two. Will you be taking your education more seriously?” I ask slightly jokingly.<br/>	“Very funny, Becca,” Fred replied.<br/>	“Do you think so little of us? Our education is very important to us,” George sarcastically responded. We laughed as we headed off to Professor Binns’ class.<br/>	It was an uneventful first day, as far as first days go. Until we got to fifth hour that is. Fifth hour was double Defense Against the Dark Arts. I wasn’t looking forward to Remus, or Professor Lupin as I would need to call him, being my teacher.<br/>	I entered the room without looking at the front and sat quietly next to George. He could sense my mood change, but thankfully didn’t say anything. I sat through the lesson with my head down, staring at my book, without really paying attention.<br/>	At the end of the lesson, I tense as I hear his voice call my name. “Ms. Hughes? A moment of your time?” Remus called.<br/>	George gave me a confused look, but I waved him off. “Probably something to do with me running into him on the train.” George accepted this without question and left the classroom.<br/>	I walked up to the front of the room, where Remus was stacking books on his desk. I stood glaring at him, not saying a word, waiting for him to start.<br/>	“Becca, I know you are angry with me and want nothing to do with me, but you’re going to have to accept me as your professor,” he started. He refused to look at me and was rearranging the books on his desk instead. “I’ve taken a look at your marks and you’re an outstanding student, the brightest in your class. You have the potential to be brilliant and I don’t want to stand in your way,” he lectured.<br/>	I stood, not saying a word. He had looked at my grades? He wanted me to do well? I was astounded we were having this conversation. This sounded like someone who still cared about me deeply.<br/>	“So whatever our differences, I call a truce, so that you can still learn. Are we in agreement?” He asks finally looking at me. I nod without saying a word. He doesn’t continue, so I turn and leave the class without saying a single word to him.<br/>	So overall, not a very eventful first day.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Fat Lady's Escape</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 4: The Fat Lady's Escape</p><p>People didn’t lie when they said fifth year was the hardest. Even though it was only the first month of classes, I was up to my ears in homework. I found myself spending quite a bit of time in the library trying to get it all done. When the library closed for the night, I would still be awake in the Common Room finishing my work.<br/>	So it came as a relief when at the beginning of October, Oliver Wood called for a team meeting. Oliver was the Gryffindor Quidditch captain and played Keeper. I had been on the team since second year as a Chaser with Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell. Fred and George were our two Beaters and Harry had been Seeker since his first year.<br/>	Oliver was in his seventh year and we fully expected him to be pushing us harder than normal to win the Quidditch Cup. When we met in the locker room, of course it was the first thing discussed. “This is our last chance — my last chance — to win the Quidditch Cup,” he began.<br/>	“Gryffindor hasn’t won for seven years now. Okay, so we’ve had the worst luck in the world — injuries — then the tournament getting called off last year. . . .” Wood swallowed, as though the memory still brought a lump to his throat. “But we also know we’ve got the best — ruddy — team — in — the — school,” he said, punching a fist into his other hand, the old manic glint back in his eye.<br/>	I started to tune out his speech as I had heard different variations of it for three years now. I starting listening again when everyone started raving about how we would win this year. <br/>	We began training three evenings a week. The weather was not helping us any, but Oliver pushed us anyway. We returned after a particularly rough practice to discover quite a bit of excitement in the Common Room.<br/>	“What’s going on?” Harry asked Ron and Hermione.<br/>	As I walked by I heard Ron tell him that the first Hogsmeade visit was coming up. Hogsmeade was an all-wizard town near Hogwarts that students could visit on the weekend every couple of weeks.<br/>	“Excellent,” said Fred walking up behind me. “I need to visit Zonko’s. I’m nearly out of Stink Pellets.”<br/>	“What do you say, Becca? Want to join us in Hogsmeade?” George asked walking up beside Fred. They both looked at me expectantly. I had been visiting Hogsmeade with Fred and George ever since our first visit when we were in our third year.<br/>	“I can’t this year, boys. My mother didn’t sign my permission slip and she hasn’t sent it to me yet,” I answered trying to look put out. It was true my mother didn’t sign my permission slip, but she was never going to send one. She had decided Hogsmeade visits were too much of a risk this year. I had never lied to the twins and I was hoping they believed me now.<br/>	“Wow, that’s a shame. We’ll just have to bring you something back from Zonko’s,” Fred said as he continued on through the Common Room.<br/>	“Just as long as it isn’t something you’re using on me!” I call after him. I then turn to George who’s still staring at me. I wonder if he had actually believed me, but he just shrugs and walks off after Fred.</p><p>	On the morning of Halloween, everyone made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Everyone else would be leaving for Hogsmeade shortly after. After being able to go to Hogsmeade for two years I wasn’t that upset about not going now. <br/>	I sat with Fred and George at breakfast and they told me everything they were going to do in Hogsmeade. Ron, Harry, and Hermione joined us after a few minutes engrossed in their own conversation. I could tell from one look that Harry was very upset he wouldn’t be going into Hogsmeade.<br/>	“We’ll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes,” I heard Hermione say to him looking very sorry.<br/>	“Don’t worry about me. Have a good time,” he replied trying to sound pleased. I scooted myself down the bench as the rest got up to leave.<br/>	“Don’t worry, Harry, you’ll be able to go eventually,” I start trying to cheer him up. “In the mean time, we have the whole castle virtually to ourselves. What would you like to do today?” <br/>	“I’m okay, Becca. I think I’ll just go get some work done,” he responded sadly and got up from the bench.<br/>	“Well, if you’re in need of company, I’ll be in the library,” I call after him as he leaves the hall. <br/>	I gather my bag that I had brought down with me and head off to the library. I have essays for Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts coming up. Seeing as I had the time, I figured I would get started on them.<br/>	I stayed almost the entire day in the library and completed both of my essays. It was almost time for the Halloween feast by the time I returned to the Gryffindor Common Room. As I enter, George spots me and comes rushing over with a bag in his hand.<br/>	“Did you heed my warning about getting a Zonko’s product to use on me?” I ask as George comes to a halt in front of me.<br/>	“Don’t worry, I didn’t listen to Fred,” George responds as Fred yells at him from across the room. “No, I got you your favorite, chocolate frogs.” He hands over the entire bag that must have at least ten chocolate frogs in it.<br/>	“You didn’t have to do that, George,” I say incredibly thankful.<br/>	“I know, but I felt bad that you had to miss out on the first Hogsmeade visit.”<br/>	“Yes and he did it all by himself,” Fred joined in as he came to stand with us. “He didn’t listen to any of my suggestions of products to use for pranks on you.” We all had a laugh and spent the rest of our time in the Common Room before the Halloween feast. <br/>As we walked into the Great Hall, I noticed all the Halloween decorations. There were hundreds and hundreds of candle-filled pumpkins, a cloud of fluttering live bats, and many flaming orange streamers, which were swimming lazily across the stormy ceiling like brilliant water snakes.<br/>We gorged ourselves on the amazing food provided for the feast and watched as the ghosts entertained us with a show. When the feast was over I made my way back to Gryffindor Tower with Fred and George. As we walked up the stairs we noticed a crowd forming outside the Fat Lady’s portrait.<br/>“What’s going on?” George questioned. No one directly around us had an answer.<br/>“I should probably go check it out as Prefect,” I stated and began to push through the crowd. As I pushed through, Percy began to push through as well, yelling about being Head Boy. We reached the front of the crowd at the same time and stood in amazement.<br/>Percy acted first and yelled into the crowd, “Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick.” I commend him for being so quick to action, while I still stared dumbfounded at what was in front of me.<br/>The Fat Lady’s portrait had been ripped to shreds and she was nowhere to be found. Dumbledore finally arrived, took one look at the portrait and went into action. “We need to find her,” said Dumbledore. “Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady.”<br/>	“You’ll be lucky!” Peeves the Poltergeist responded.<br/>“What do you mean, Peeves?” asked Dumbledore calmly.<br/>“Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn’t want to be seen. She’s a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful,” he said happily.<br/>“Did she say who did it?” said Dumbledore quietly.<br/>“Oh yes, Professorhead,” said Peeves. “He got very angry when she wouldn’t let him in, you see. Nasty temper he’s got, that Sirius Black.”<br/>It was like everything stopped. I didn’t register people’s reactions to this, I was too busy trying to remember how to breathe. Sirius Black was here? He had been trying to get into the Gryffindor Common Room? Everyone else seemed as astonished as I was.<br/>The questions I was asking now were how did he get in and why was he trying to?</p><p>We were all sent back to the Great Hall, where we were eventually joined by the other houses. “The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle,” Professor Dumbledore announced to us. <br/>“I’m afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately,” he added to Percy.<br/>Before he left, he vanished all the tables from the hall and made hundreds of sleeping bags appear. The Gryffindors began to retell what happened to the other students as Percy tried to get everyone into their sleeping bags. I grabbed a sleeping bag and plopped it down in a group of first years. I figured as Prefect I should keep an eye on them. It had nothing to do with avoiding Fred and George for the night.<br/>When Percy called lights out minutes later, I tried my hardest to fall asleep. I must have fallen asleep because the next thing I know, I’m being woken by the sound of voices.<br/>“You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before — ah — the start of term?” said a deep voice. That was Snape, now that I had woken up more. Dumbledore responded in the affirmative. “It seems — almost impossible — that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed —” Snape continued, but Dumbledore cut him off.<br/>“I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it,” said Dumbledore and he walked away from Snape. I couldn’t place why this conversation was intriguing to me. Snape thought someone inside the castle had helped Sirius Black, but who?</p><p>For the next couple of days, no one spoke of anything else besides Sirius Black. Students spent most of their time discussing theories as to how he got into the castle.<br/>The Fat Lady’s ruined portrait was removed from the wall and replaced by a portrait named Sir Cadogan. He was a horrible replacement, always changing the password to something more complicated and challenging people to duel. He was our only option though. After what happened to the Fat Lady no other portrait wanted the job.<br/>I tried to focus exclusively on my studies. I couldn’t be distracted by Sirius Black now. Fred and George had questioned why all of a sudden I had gone quiet and basically lived in the library. I ignored their inquiries and kept working. The only breaks I took from studying were for Quidditch practice.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Marauder's Map</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 5: Marauder’s Map</p><p>The weather got steadily worse as our first match approached. We were training as hard as ever, even when the weather was horrible. At our final training session before the match, Oliver had an announcement.<br/>“We’re not playing Slytherin!” he told them, looking very angry. “Flint’s just been to see me. We’re playing Hufflepuff instead.” The team questioned him angrily, finally responding that the Slytherin’s Seeker’s arm was still in a sling. “But it’s obvious why they’re doing it. Don’t want to play in this weather. Think it’ll damage their chances. . . .” Oliver added.<br/>Oliver continued to complain about these unexpected changes, specifically about playing a completely different team with different strategies. impatiently. “I don’t know why you’re worried, Oliver, Hufflepuff is a pushover. Last time we played them, Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes, remember?” Fred tried to calm him down.</p><p>The day before the match, the weather worsened. The winds were howling outside as we went about our lessons. I was preoccupied by the match and didn’t notice right away that Defense Against the Dark Arts was different.<br/>It took me several more minutes to figure out why. Remus wasn’t there. Instead it was Snape standing at the front of the classroom. “Your reading is on the board, there shouldn’t be any need to talk,” he announced and sat silently at Lupin’s desk.<br/>“Where’s Professor Lupin?” I whispered to George next to me and he responded with a shrug as he got out his book.<br/>“Ms. Hughes, do you think the rules don’t apply to you?” Snape called staring at me. I know Snape well enough as a professor to not respond to his goading. So I get out my book and begin to read. Nothing is sticking though as I keep wondering why Remus isn’t teaching today.</p><p>I woke relatively early the next morning and ran into Harry in the Common Room. “Already awake?” I asked curiously. Harry wasn’t one to wake up early on match day.<br/>“Peeves woke me up a couple hours ago,” he responded. “Are you headed down to breakfast?”<br/>I nod and we walk down to the Great Hall together. We begin eating, eventually joined by the rest of the team.<br/>“It’s going to be a tough one,” said Oliver, who wasn’t eating anything.<br/>“Stop worrying, Oliver,” I tried to say soothingly, “we don’t mind a bit of rain.” Truthly, it was quite a bit of rain. It was pouring buckets outside, like the heavens had truly opened up. As students made their way down to the Quidditch field, umbrellas went flying by in the wind.<br/>We made it into the locker room and got dressed. We sat and waited for Oliver’s usual pre match peptalk, but it never came. He tried to speak several times, made an odd gulping noise, then shook his head hopelessly and beckoned them to follow him.<br/>	We staggered out onto the field as the wind kept us off balance. I don’t know how we would be able to play in this, nevermind Harry being able to catch the Snitch. Madam Hooch had us mount our brooms and gave a shrill blast with her whistle. The match began.<br/>	Within minutes I was soaked to the skin from the rain. I had been pushed around so much by the wind, I was severely overcompensating with my flying. I couldn’t hear the commentary so I just kept trying to score without knowing if it was making any difference.<br/>	As lightning began to flash, Madam Hooch blew her whistle. We all joined Oliver on the ground, who had called for a time-out. We huddled under an umbrella at the edge of the field. “What’s the score?” Someone asked.<br/>	“We’re fifty points up,” said Wood, “but unless we get the Snitch soon, we’ll be playing into the night.”<br/>“I’ve got no chance with these on,” Harry said waving his glasses around.<br/>	“Hang on a minute Harry,” I say quickly and grab his glasses from him. “Impervius!” I say as I tap them. “There you are, now they’ll repel water.”<br/>	“Brilliant, Becca! Okay, team, let’s go for it!” Oliver cheered and we walked onto the field again.<br/>	We continued the game as best as we could. With our short break and new found confidence in Harry, we went on a scoring streak. Things were looking up when Harry took off quickly after the Snitch. We all waited for him to catch it, but we couldn’t see him through the storm.<br/>	After another minute, Harry returned to our sights again. Unfortunately, he was falling from the sky. Everyone stopped as we watched Harry slowly fall from the storm clouds. Before he hit the ground, he slowed to a virtual stop and gently landed on the ground. We all sped to the ground to check on him, but Madam Hooch got to him first.<br/>	Before we could reach the ground, Harry was being carried to the hospital wing. The match was over, Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff Seeker, had caught the Snitch. We had lost our first match.</p><p>	We returned to a normal schedule with all of the Gryffindor team sulking over our loss. We all visited Harry, who was still in the hospital, on Sunday. We tried to cheer him up, but there was no cheering him up after his broom was destroyed during the match. After he had fallen off it had blown into the Whomping Willow. It was smashed beyond recognition.<br/>	On Monday, we returned to classes with more homework being assigned. “Do you think Lupin will be in Defense Against the Dark Arts today?” Fred asked as he walked with George and I to class.<br/>	“I really hope so, Snape was awful last time,” George responded. I really hoped Remus would be back. I didn’t want to admit it to myself, but I was worried about him. I didn’t understand why he had missed class, professors rarely missed classes at Hogwarts. I was thinking he had to be really ill.<br/>	When we arrived in his classroom, Remus was there. He looked horrible though. He was very pale and his robes looked looser on his frame. At the start of class, he took our complaints about Snape and moved past them to begin the lesson.<br/>	After the lesson, I was asked to stay behind again by the professor. Fred and George both stopped to give me quizzical looks this time. I shrugged because I honestly had no clue what this was about. I walked up to his desk slowly. We had barely had any conversations since he started at Hogwarts. We were into November now and I’d avoided Remus as much as possible.<br/>	Remus stood awkwardly, not starting the conversation right away. When he finally spoke, I was surprised by his inquiry. “I wanted to ask if you had been going on the Hogsmeade trips?” Remus asked suddenly.<br/>	I stood confused. Why would he want to know? “No, my mother didn’t sign my permission slip,” I answered honestly. “She doesn’t plan to.”<br/>	He nodded, accepting this answer. “Do you feel safe in the castle?” He continued. I was still wondering why he was asking me all these questions.<br/>	“At the beginning of term when you said I would have to accept you as my professor, I did. We never discussed becoming a part of my life again,” I accused coldly. He had no business asking me these questions.<br/>	“I know, but I’m still concerned for you,” he spoke quietly. “I still care about you, Becca.”<br/>	“Well, I’m still waiting on answers as to why you ran out on me five years ago,” I quipped back harshly. He looked taken aback by this, but not surprised. He seemed to be mulling something over and I began to grab my stuff to leave.<br/>	“It was complicated, Becca. There were things going on that had nothing to do with you, but I had to leave,” he explained. “Can you accept that as an answer?” He asked pleadingly. I could see in his eyes he was desperate to work things out, but I wasn’t.<br/>	“No,” I stated simply and turned to walk out.</p><p>	When I returned to the Common Room, Fred and George asked me why I was held after class. I lied to them and told them it was about an essay I had handed in. I walked away quickly, not wanting to be asked any other questions, but they followed me. I sat down in a quiet corner and pulled my bag into my lap, searching it for my homework. They sat opposite me, unmoving.<br/>	Once I found my work, I got started and avoided looking at either of them. For several minutes, they sat in silence staring at me. I knew I couldn’t avoid them forever, but I was holding out as long as possible.<br/>	It was another several minutes before George finally broke the silence. “We’re not leaving you along until you tell us what’s going on.”<br/>	“Being asked to stay after once is one thing, but twice. For you that’s significant,” Fred added. “So tell us what’s going on.”<br/>	Everything in me was saying to lie to them. I had kept so many secrets from them over the years and I should keep that going. They didn’t need to know my business. But when I looked up at them all those thoughts went away. Sitting in front of me were my best friends, my first two friends. We had done everything together since we met five years ago, they meant everything to me. <br/>	My mother might keep secrets from everyone around her, but I wasn’t like her. I decided to give in and tell them at least one of my secrets. “You’ll keep this to yourselves?” I ask even though I already know the answer. They nod and lean in to hear me speak.<br/>	“You know how my mother is kind of weird and she keeps me away from pretty much everyone?” I ask rhetorically, but they both still nod as a response. “When I was a child, the only person my mom would allow contact with was my Uncle Remus.” They both looked taken aback by this.<br/>“Professor Lupin is your uncle?” Fred asked unbelievingly.<br/>I nod and continue, “He was one of my father’s best friends. When my father had left us, my Uncle Remus had taken care of us and had been a father figure to me. Then five years ago, he disappeared without saying anything. On the Hogwarts Express was the first time I had seen him.” I sat back and let the twins process this.<br/>My Uncle Remus had been everything to me. My mother kept me away from the outside world my whole life, the only person she allowed me to have contact with was Uncle Remus. He would visit for weeks at a time and then disappear for months on end. He would always bring fun into the house and stories of my father. For a girl with such a sheltered life, he was part of my very limited worldview. To have him disappear five years ago was devastating.<br/>“That’s horrible, Becca,” George responded reaching over to take my hand. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for one of the twins to do this, but this time I felt a warmth where George was touching me.<br/>“So what has he been saying to you when he has you stay after?” Fred asks.<br/>“He’s trying to insert himself back into my life and I’ve been brushing him off.”<br/>“I don’t blame you. You have every right to never want to see him again,” Fred responds. George grips my hand a little tighter and I know I have made the right choice in telling them. They will always back me up and support me. I couldn’t have picked better friends.</p><p> </p><p>On the last weekend of the term, there was to be another Hogsmeade trip. I resigned myself to working in the library again. But before leaving for Hogsmeade, Fred and George stopped me in the corridor before I could get to the library.<br/>	“Becca, we have something for you,” Fred said excitedly. They were both buzzing with anticipation as to whatever they were going to give me.<br/>	Fred held out a piece of parchment and I took it. It was completely blank. I opened the folds to see if there was something hidden, but there was nothing to be found. I looked at them confused, but they were still bursting with excitement.<br/>	“Becca, it’s a map!” George squeals.<br/>	“Nicked it from Filch’s office, first year. It is the secret to our continued success,” Fred adds. I stare at it again still not understanding.<br/>	George took out his wand and tapped the parchment in my hand saying, “I solemnly swear I am up to no good.” As he finished speaking, lines started forming on the parchment beginning what must be the map he mentioned.<br/>	As the lines finish, on the front of the parchment this text appears:<br/>Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs<br/>Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers<br/>are proud to present <br/>THE MARAUDER’S MAP<br/>	I open the parchment now and see every corridor present at Hogwarts. Everything was there and as I looked at everything on it I see in Dumbledore’s office two little feet pacing. “Is that really Dumbledore?” I ask incredulously.<br/>	“Yes, this shows everything that’s going on in Hogwarts. And down here it shows the secret passageways out of the castle,” Fred explained.<br/>	“If you take this one here,” George said as he traces his finger on a line out of the castle. “It takes you right into the cellar of Honeydukes.”<br/>	“Wait, you’ve giving me this to get to Hogsmeade?” I ask unbelievingly.<br/>	“Yes,” the twins say at the same time. I stare at them astounded. They’ve been my best friends for so long, but they still surprise me by their actions.<br/>	“I can’t believe you would give me something like this.” I began to think quickly. How could I turn this down? I didn’t want to go into Hogsmeade. My mother’s warnings were still fresh in my mind.<br/>	“Well, we’ve learned all we can from it. Everything is imprinted in our brains at this point,” George responds. I can tell he’s so excited that I might go into Hogsmeade with them again.<br/>	“Boys, this is beyond generous, but I know someone that can use this more than me,” I tell them. I explain that Harry could really use this seeing as he hasn’t been to Hogsmeade before. George watches me carefully. I can tell he doesn’t understand why I’ve turned it down, but he isn’t questioning me.<br/>The twins are a little upset I won’t be going, but are excited to give Harry the chance to go. They take off to go find Harry and I continue on to the library, thinking about what homework I can get done in the library this weekend.</p>
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